QUEBRADA TACAHUAY: UN SITIO MARíTIMO DEL PLEISTOCENO TARDíO EN LA COSTA SUR DEL PERú

we present a summary of the archaeological work that has been completed at quebrada tacahuay located on the far southern coast of peru. following a catastrophic el ni？o flood event that sealed the earliest cultural layer dated to more than 10,700 years ago, there was minor reoccupation of the site as indicated by shellfish refuse and thin midden deposits. subsequent flood events and geological deposits of aeolian sand sealed the cultural deposits. three seasons of field work have produced abundant subsistence remains, lithic tools and debitage, and features related to food preparation, particularly hearths. these excavations indicate that the site was a specialized marine bird processing locale where large numbers of seabirds, primarily cormorants and boobies, were processed, prepared, and discarded. some other marine foods including bony fishes and shellfish were also collected. there is no indication of terrestrial hunting nor of the acquisition of lithic material from non-local sources. the site provides data on the antiquity of coastal adaptations in the region and probable role of el ni？o phenomena in early andean colonization and settlement